Junior Festival a Scorcher in the East Coast
I have never before heard a beach volleyball player in Scotland 
say “I wish those clouds would stay there, it might help cool us down”. But it was said on Saturday 5th June on what I can only describe as the blistering sands of Portobello as 34 youngsters and 8 coaches took to the beach for the junior festival. It was a fabulous day.
Junior and senior girls and boys were put through their paces by the coaches in the morning, covering all the basic skills before sitting down to a well-earned lunch break and playing in a tournament all afternoon. It was smiles all round as coconuts and pineapples were presented to the winners of each category – a tropical ending to a tropical day.
Thank yous go to the schools who took part Queensferry HS, St Maurice’s and Wallace HS, especially the teachers from Wallace HS and St Maurice’s who set their Saturday aside to take their pupils to the beach for the day – I think they had a ball though!! Thank you to the volunteer coaches who also set the day aside for the youngsters. The SVA was a fantastic support in helping with the entries and organising of this. And a final thank you to the players who make it all worth while for everyone with their enthusiasm and enjoyment of the game.
Now let’s get those young teams signed up for the junior sections of the Scottish Beach Tour! You know you want to.
Mel Coutts
Event Organiser
Junior Festival a Scorcher in the West Coast
Once again it was tropical conditions on Troon beach for the Junior Beach Festival! For the third year in a row the temperatures topped a sizzling 25 degrees down at Costa Del Troon!
We had to be up early to secure our spot on what turned out to be one of the busiest days on the beach Troon has seen in recent years!
20 sun worshipping up and coming junior beach players were there to dust down the swimwear and shades get the sunscreen on and get their feet in the sand for the West Coast beach festival.
The morning started with a bit of revision of the beach skills and getting used to playing in the glorious open air! I had hopes of coaching how to play in the wind but it was flat calm and perfect! Then the tournament began.
The players beach skills and effort on an incredibly hot afternoon were dazzling! However somebody had to finish on top. The pairing of Hannah Grant and Alyson Jones won the Senior girls-they were also top in the beach wear stakes too. And it was Eilidh Cruse and Caitlin Howie that took the junior girls title-beating some senior pairings on the way. The sheer determination and athletism in the junior boys group was breathtaking to see with Belmont boys Harry Briggs and Matthew Russell winning the final!
Many thanks to the boys and girls from Troon VC and Ryan McLeod for their assistance in making the festival so successful. Another fabulous Beach Festival in Troon – roll on next year! Photos Courtesy of Helen Cruse
Gillian Lyall
Event Organiser